They are called record
albums because in the early days of recorded music, a collection of 78 rpm discs by one artist was sold in a heavy cardboard
folder holding individual sleeves, usually with cover art and artist information. Since they looked like the photo albums
of the time, they were called record albums. And they still are, at least as far as I’m concerned. There are single releases
and there are album releases, period.

Albums went out of fashion in pop music, especially, with the advent of iTunes
and other such digital outlets. But some genres, particularly country and bluegrass, persevere with the format.

You
may well ask why I have not included any mainstream country albums from the past few years. It’s plain and simple. Aside from
Jamey Johnson and a few others, country artists have by and large quit trying
to create albums and are instead concentrating on recording redneck party singles for country radio. The resulting collection
of singles cannot be legitimately termed an album. Cutting a few redneck party radio hits doesn’t make you a Country Music
Hall of Famer.

Some ground rules here. No greatest hits albums or “best of” albums are eligible for this, nor are boxed
sets. The criteria are originality, influence and quality. This represents the Top 10 of my essential country music library.
Someday we’ll visit the others.

Red Headed Stranger, Willie NelsonWillie
has many albums that are worthy candidates. Yesterday’s Wine was an early concept album, as were Shotgun Willie
and especially Phases and Stages. Stardust, a very unlikely album of pop standards for Willie to record, stayed
on the country chart for more than 10 years. But it was Red Headed Stranger that was his artistic peak as well as his
enormous breakthrough to superstar musical success. Stranger is a bleak and lonely but ultimately loving and forgiving
album that will stay with you after every listening. When I originally reviewed this for Texas Monthly magazine, I
headlined the review “Matthew, Mark, Luke and Willie,” and I still don’t think I was off target.

Dreaming My
Dreams, Waylon JenningsWaylon was not nearly as prolific as his running
buddy Willie Nelson, but he was a perfectionist when it came to his own solo albums. Many people consider his Honky Tonk
Heroes to be his best work. I don’t, necessarily. It is a very close second.

Lullabys, Legends and Lies,
Bobby BareOne of the most underestimated artists in country music — primarily because
of his modest nature and his unwillingness to blow his own horn. For this album, Bare commissioned the artist and writer Shel
Silverstein to write him an album of songs. It turned into a two-album set. Bare was at the forefront of progressive country
for years. If you’ve never heard “Quaaludes Again,” look it up. And “Rough on the Living” remains a classic, as in, “Nashville’s
rough on the living but she really speaks well of the dead.”

At Folsom Prison, Johnny
CashWhat more can be said? This remains one of the greatest live albums in any music genre.

Carnegie
Hall Concert, Buck Owens His BuckaroosBuck’s live concert at New York
City’s famed Carnegie Hall set the standard for country performances. He had one of the two or three best bands around. On
this night, they were crisp and sharp on a set of top-flight songs.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music,Ray CharlesThis is one of the most influential recordings of the
20th century. And no one expected it from Ray Charles. It sounds just as fresh today as it did when released.

Coal
Miner’s Daughter, Loretta LynnShe’s probably the greatest female country
artist ever. She has proved it many times. Her albums have been up and down, but her originality and influence remain unparalleled.

I
Am What I Am, George JonesFrank Sinatra once said George Jones was the second
greatest singer in the world. There are those who would disagree with him. This was the album that unleashed upon the world
the epic “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”

Big City, Merle HaggardThe
title track alone is worth the price of admission, but there’s much more, such as “Stop the World and Let Me Off.” The argument
could be made that virtually any Hag studio album is Top 10 material.

Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Nitty Gritty Dirt BandThis collaboration between the young Californians
and some of country’s elders was completely unexpected in the early 1970s, but for decades now, it has remained as influential
as any project in modern music.